5 reasons your résumé is passed up by employers

Ever sent out rounds of unrequited résumés? If you’re not scoring interviews with prospective employers, there might be something wrong with your CV. Read on for some common but often missed mistakes.

1. You apply via an unprofessional email address

If your day-to-day mail is routed through stud_muffin_69@hotmail.com or something similar, you should create a more professional secondary account for application submissions. The best email address should be a combination of your first and last name, and opt for Gmail or Outlook email services rather than Yahoo! or Hotmail, which sound less polished.

2. You provide TMI

Only list work experience and education that’s relevant to the job you’re applying for. If you’re vying for a hotel manager job, no one cares that you worked at Canadian Tire as a cashier and graduated high school in 1975. Pare down your résumé so that it’s easy to scan or read and doesn’t take up more than two pages.

3. You show too much personality

Let’s face it: People don’t like everyone they meet. While adding personal touches—like a list of hobbies and interests—to your résumé might help you and a potential employer find common ground, it could also rub him or her the wrong way—or worse, come across as unprofessional. Save getting to know each other for the interview.

4. You include a mission statement

Everyone knows your primary objective when seeking a new job is to further your career and add zeroes to your paycheque. Your career objective might have more to it, but defining your goals into a single sentence backs you into a corner and makes you ineligible for positions other than the one you’ve tailored your mission to. If you feel you need one, opt for a brief self-synopsis that summarizes your skills and experience, instead.

5. You don’t check your junk mail folder—religiously

More and more interviews are set up via email rather than the traditional phone call. Factor in the increasing competitiveness of the job market, and replying to an email a few days—or hours—late could be the deciding factor when it comes to getting that first interview. Check your junk mail daily to watch out for any callbacks.